Galata Tower, Istanbul

Galata Tower, Istanbul (must see)

One of the city's most distinctive sights, this great fortification dating back to 1348 was erected by the mercantile Genoese Italians as a vantage point over the city walls and was subsequently used as a fire lookout tower until as recently as the 1960s. At nine stories and 67 meters in height, it is one of the best places to put Istanbul's defining landmarks in a cityscape perspective: all major sights are within easy view and you can walk around the outside platform for a full 360-degree look 鈥� provided, of course, the weather is right.

The walk to the tower, which is situated on high ground, can be strenuous for some; don't be afraid of the tower climb, however, as you'll ride in a very modern elevator. While you're there, you can have a drink from the cafe upstairs and prolong your time just a bit more. The lively area around the tower is home to some interesting restaurants, bars and caf茅s, and you can also take a leisurely walk up Galip Dede Caddesi with its abundant musical instrument shops.

Tip:
Be sure to pick an off-peak time. The tower opens at 9am, so aim to make your way up around then or around sunset. In the evenings, the restaurant hosts a dinner/cabaret show including the always popular belly-dancing.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Istanbul. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "51爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

Sight Name: Galata Tower
Sight Location: Istanbul, Turkey (See walking tours in Istanbul)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Istanbul, Turkey

Create Your Own Walk in Istanbul

Creating your own self-guided walk in Istanbul is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.

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Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles

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This self-guided walk will take you along the coast so that you... view more

Tour Duration: 3 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.9 Km or 3.7 Miles

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Situated at the heart of Old Istanbul, the Sultanahmet neighborhood is a fascinating hub of historical timeline. Dramatically located on a peninsula pointing across the Bosphorus Strait to Asia, this area was formerly an administrative pole of the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires, and as such, reflects numerous influences of the cultures once prevalent here.

Whether you feel like walking... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.3 Km or 1.4 Miles

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One of the most elaborate fortification systems of ancient times, the Walls of Constantinople were built by Constantine the Great to protect the city, the then newly-established capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, from attacks by land and sea. Of these, only the Golden Gate, an old ceremonial gateway into the city, had survived by the late Byzantine Era when a new series of land walls were added... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.2 Km or 3.2 Miles

Old European Quarter Walk

Back in the Ottoman era, the Beyo臒lu neighborhood (then known as Pera) together with Galata formed the European Quarter of Istanbul. Home to embassies and trading centers, as well as the fine 19th-century, Parisian-style apartment houses, this area was much loved by the city's non-Islamic minorities.

Its growth was boosted by the opening of the Orient Express line, connecting Paris to... view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles

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